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S2E4 — "This Way Gone"

Air date: May 14, 2023 · Director: Alexandra La Roche · Writer: John Griffin (story by Griffin & Jeff Pinkner)

Synopsis

As Boyd Stevens's condition grows more alarming, Sara Myers's return to town puts him in an impossible position. In flashback, the episode shows the night Bing-Qian Liu was moved into the clinic as his dementia worsened — the night Boyd offered Kenny the job of deputy. In the present, Kenny has found Sara hiding in the church basement, where she was deposited by the faraway tree. Boyd shields her, explaining that she is uniquely connected to the place, but Kenny demands she be put in the Box. Boyd refuses, and moments later collapses with the worms crawling visibly beneath his skin.

While Boyd is confined to bed, Kristi Miller examines him: the tremors have stopped, but he is hiding something. Jim Matthews, meanwhile, shares a troubling new theory with Tabitha Matthews — and later with Donna Raines: the town is "a messed up experiment." The radio worked, and the voice on the other end called Jim by name and warned that Tabitha shouldn't be digging — moments before the house collapsed. Donna urges silence: whoever is watching is not helping.

Tensions with the newcomers flare when Randall Kirkland beats a resident for going through his belongings; Donna banishes him to live on the bus, hanging a talisman and leaving him with no curtains to hide behind. In the church basement, Sara confesses to Kenny that she opened the clinic doors the night his father died. A heartbroken Kenny removes his deputy's badge and tells Boyd to watch his own back.

Key Events

  • Flashback: Kristi, Kenny, and Tian-Chen move Bing-Qian into the clinic; the creatures had knocked at the door, and Bing-Qian pushed his wife, convinced his sons were outside.
  • Boyd offers Kenny the deputy job in the flashback, calling him the kind of person who "looks like they know what they are doing."
  • Kenny finds Sara in the church basement; Boyd asks her what happened and learns she was transported by the tree, guided by the Boy in White.
  • Boyd argues Sara's case to Kenny but refuses to reveal her role in Bing-Qian's death; he collapses outside with worms crawling under his skin.
  • Kristi questions Boyd about his symptoms; he deflects, but asks pointed questions about cognitive decline, recalling his father's final years.
  • Jim tells Tabitha the voice on the radio addressed him by name and warned about the digging; he proposes the "experiment" theory.
  • Donna hears Jim out but argues the voice belongs to no one who is helping them; the radio tower was damaged in the storm.
  • Jade and Bakta drink together in the bar; Bakta blames herself for driving the bus into the town, and Jade — who sold his company before arriving — toasts to "getting what we deserve."
  • Randall beats a man for touching his belongings; Donna evicts him to the bus with a talisman, telling him he will learn there is no way out.
  • Boyd is visited by a vision of Father Khatri, who argues he must lie to Kenny about Sara.
  • Sara confesses to Kenny that she opened the clinic doors; Kenny strips Boyd of his badge and walks away.

Characters

New Information / Reveals

  • Sara was returned to town by a faraway tree; the Boy in White directed her, confirming he guides multiple residents.
  • Boyd's condition is worsening — the worms are visible, his tremors have stopped, and he is now visited by a vision of Father Khatri that may be hallucination or something more.
  • Jim's radio contact was real: the voice knew his name and warned about the digging moments before the collapse, fueling his belief that the town is an experiment.
  • The radio tower was damaged in the storm, delaying further contact.
  • Sara confirms to Kenny that she opened the clinic doors — the act that killed Bing-Qian — fracturing the last of Kenny's trust in Boyd, who hid it from him.

Locations

Deaths

  • None on-screen. A flashback revisits Bing-Qian Liu's move to the clinic before his death in Season 1.

Lore & Mysteries